Vamp-locating device



Patented et. 3, i922.

IBERIE'I HITOHINGS WHITCOMB, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF EATER/SON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF new unasnr.

vAJMr-Loon'rrne neuron To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, lHARRIET H. WHIT- COMB, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Vamp-Locating Devices, of

which the following description, 1n connec-' t on with the accompanying drawings is a specification, like reference characters on the re drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to a device for facilitating-the presentation of a piece of work in position'to be operatedupon and is herein illustrated as embodied in a device designed to facilitate the presentation of a vamp or a wing tip to the operating tool of a punching machine.

In the manufacture of boots and shoes, it is usual to ornament certain parts of the upper by punching designs therein by means of a; gang punching. machine. "When it is desired so to use a pattern punch to ornament some of these parts, as the toe portion pt a vamp or Wing tip, diificulty'is experienced in presenting the .work to the machine in the proper symmetrical manner, especially since in machines commonly used for this Work, it is impossible to see the part of the stock to so be operated upon when it has been placed in position to be punched. or purposes of illustration, the problem of properly presenting a vamp to receive an ornamental punched pattern in its toe portion will, be considered, though it is to be understood, that the invention is in no way limited in its applicability to the punching of Vamps.

- The toe portions of vamps are not sym- 410 metrically ,cut on regular curves,.and their. Outlines difler according as they arewrights or lofts and according to their size. lt frequently happens that there are used 111 a single factory Vamps having several hundred different forms, the differences bein'g due to difi'erences in style as Well as to the causes previously mentioned. This great variation makes diflicult a successful use of edge gages. Moreover the longitudinal position of the pattern to be punched variesybeing given as a distance from the center oi: the throat of the vamp,,and' this renders still less feasible the use of edgegages.

The throat of a vamp, however, Whatever markation between the difierent figures.

has been found that the use of these conits size and shape, is symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis passing through its center and through that part of the toe portion which ordinarily is ornamented by punching, and the present invention contemplates the utilization of this s mmetry of the throat symmetrically to p ace the punching on the toe portion.

An object of the present invention, accordingly, is to provide simple and accurate means for properly presenting the desired portions of vamps or other irregularly shaped pieces of stock to mechanism for operating upon them. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, this is accomplished by the provision of a group of symmetrical figures, such as squares, symmetrically arranged with respect to the center line of a support on which the work may be positioned previously to its presentation to the operating means. When the arrangement of these figures visible through the throat of the vamp is symmetrical, the center line of the vamp will coincide with, or will be superimposed upon, the center line of the support, and when the vamp is moved forward in the direction of this center line a predecontrasting colors, the exemplified -embodiment of the invention having squares of two colors, and in the use of heavy hues of detrasting colors and heavy lines is of material assistance in rapidly positioning the work.

In another aspect the invention contemplates the combination with a Work support marked in the above manner of means for moving the work a predetermined distance after it has been correctly positioned upon the work support, to present it in the desired relation to the operating means.

In speaking of the stock to be operated upon, the term vamp has been repeatedly used throughout the specification and claims.

This has been done for the sake of convenience and brevit and that term is not intended to be un erstood in a limitlng manner, but to include, as well as Vamps in a literal sense, wing tips and other blanks or articles capable of being handled in this way. The foregoing and other features of the invention, including certain details of construction and combinations of parts, will be described as embodied in an illustratiye machine and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 illustrates diagrammatically the arrangement of the squaresof the centering device of this invention; a

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a vamp gage in dwhich the centering device is embodied; an

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional View showing the relation of the vamp and gage, when in perforating position, to the punches and anvil of a perforating machine with which the invention may be used. 1

The centering device of the present invention is adapted for use in connection with a perforating machine and gage such as that shown in the application of Harry R Stanbon, Serial No. 298,048, filed May 19, 1919, for a vamp gage for punchin machines. For purposes of illustration it 1s shown as so embodied though of course it is in'no way limited in its utility to such a machine. This machine comprises a punch plate holder 5 which rests upon a suitably constructed portion of the frame 7, a punch plate 9 which is carried by the punch plate holder, a series of punches 11 arranged in a pattern, for instance as shown in Fig. 2, a yieldingly sustained stripper plate 13 provided with holes through which the punches may be forced, and a reciprocable punch block or plunger 15. The punch block may be driven in any suitable manner as by a one-revolution clutch which causes the shaft to make one revolution and then come to rest with the punches, punch block and stripper-plate in the relation of Fig. 3, to permit withdrawal of the punched blank and presentation of a succeeding one. It will be understood that i-f/a Y portion of a blank is placed on the stripper 50 plate 13 over the punches and the clutch thrown in, the blank will be punched.

Abutting at its forward end against the stripper plate 13 and yieldingly held at the same level as the stripper plate is a work support 19 in the form of a plate of sheet metal. This supporting plate may, if de- Y sired, be integral with the stripper plate since the two p ates always preserve the same relation to each other and are moved up and 1 down together. In the illustrated machine the supporting plate 19 isfastened by screws 21 to abar 23 which'is fast to theupper ends of; a pluralitypf pins 25 vertically slidable in sockets in-the punch plate holder. Springs 27 encircle the pins and are of sufficient ably mounted on the support 19 is a vamp holder having a carrier 29. plate 33 is pivoted at opposite ends to lugs 34 on the carrier. Leaf springs 35 fastened at their rear ends to lugs 34 urge downward the forward end of clamping plate 33 to grip the vamp in the manner shown in Fig. 2. A finger piece 37 fast to the plate 33 furnishes means whereby the plate may be tilted about its pivots to permit the vamp to be placed in and removed from the holder. Mounted on the supporting plate 19 in advance of the vamp holder is a guiding device for locating the vam in the holder, said device comprising a guide carrier 39 and a guide, shown as a straight edge 41. The guide carrier 39'may be connected with the holder carrier 29 by bars 43 provided with slots 45 through which extend loosely the stems of screws 47 which are threaded into the lugs 34 of the holder carrier. Springs 49 connected at their rear ends to pins 51 on the bars 43 and at their forward ends to the lugs 34 normally maintain the guide spaced from the vamp holder as shown in Fig.2, the extent of the separation being determined by the position of stops 53 which are adjustably mounted on gage it is desirable to make the squares of two contrasting colors, for instance one group of squares may be white or of a light color and the other group of a dark color, 1 the squares of each color being arranged so as to be bilaterally symmetrical with respect to the center line 70. In the illustrated embodiment the .outer longitudinal rows of squares are white, the longitudinal rows ad- A clamping j acent to these are red, and the two median rows are white with the exception of two pairs ofsquares arranged toward the rear and in such a' position that parts or the whole of one or both of these pairs of squares will ordinarily" be visible through the throats of the Vamps of the diiferent sizes to be operated upon. It is to be understood that this specific arrangement of squares is shown for illustrative purposes only and that it is not essential that the figures be squares but simply that they be-of a simple symmetrical form arranged in a simple pattern symmetrical with respect to the line with respect to which the work is to be positioned.

a position that the arrangement of the squares visible in the throat thereof is s mmetrical, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. he position of the vamp longitudinally in the holder is thus determined by the relation of the guide 41 to the holder and the correct location of the vamp laterally of the support 19 is easily determined ldy the operative in accordance with the appearance of the squares and parts of squares visible through the throat of the vamp. In order to facilitate adjustment of the stops 53, these stops maybe provided with pointers which co-opcrate with a suitably graduated scale on the bars 43, as shown in Fig. 2, and in order to facilitate grasping the vamp holder to push it forward two pins 59 project from its under side.

The operation of the-device is as follows:

' The operator is furnished with vamps marked as indicated at 200 and is also fur nished with data showing how far from the throats of the Vamps the center of the pattern punching is to be located. With this data hefirst sets the 'stops 53. He next inserts avamp in the holder with the mark 200 registering with the forward edge of the guide t1 and in such a position that the squares and portions of squares visible through the throat of the vamp on both sides are symmetrical. Then grasping the vamp holderwith his thumbs and forefinger's, he 45 pushes the holder to the punching mechanism. Boththe guide and the holder move forward. until the guide carrier 39 contacts with and is arrested by the bar 23 which serves as a stop. Thereafter the holder moves forward until its carrier 29 is arrested by contact with the guide carrier 39 at which time the toe portion offlthe vamp is properly located with respect to the punching mechanism and punch block 15 is caused to descend.

Fig. 2 shows in perspective and Fig. "1 diagrammatically the vamp properly located in the vamp holder ready to be advanced. Fig. 3 shows the vamp in position/to be punched, the springs 49 being extended, the guide carrier 39 in contact with the bar 23, and carrier 29 in contact with carrier 39.

Although the invention has been set forth as embodied in a particular machine it isto be understood that the invention is not limited in-the scope of its application to the particular machine shown and described.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A machine of the class described having, in combination, means for operating upon the forward portion of a vamp, a work support provided with a symmetrically arranged group of symmetrical figures so that the vamp may be accurately positioned in accordance with the visibility of 'the figures through the. throat of the vamp, and means for transferring the vamp from the work support to the operating means.

2. A machine of the class described having, in combination, means for ornamenting the forepart of a vamp, a work support, a group of symmetrically arranged symmetrical markings on the work support for locating the vamp symmetrically with respect to the orname nting means, and means for engaging, the vamp to move it forward into operative'relation to the ornamenting means without disturbing its arrangement symmetrically with respect thereto.

3. A machine of the class described having, in combination, perforating means, a work support to hold a blank to be perfo: rated, a work carrier movable over the work support to present the blank to the perforating means, and a group of markings upon the surface of the work support arranged to co-operate with a characteristic of the blank for accurately locating the blank in the workcarrier.

- 4. A machine of the cilass described having, in combination, a work support having a surface marked off into a series of symmetrically arranged symmetrical figures, perforating means, and a work carrier to transfer the work from the work support to the perforating means. I

5. A machine of the class described hav-.

ing,-in combination, a work support having 110 from said work support to the perforating means; 7 I

7. A machine of the class described, comprising a punch and punch block, and a' work ,support having a surface provided with/a group of symmetrical markings, sald group of markings and said punch being 130 both arranged symmetrically with respect to the same axis of symmetry.

8. A machine of the class described having, in combination, means for operating upon the forward ortion of the vamp, a work support to hold the vamp to be operated upon, awork carrier movable over the work support to present the vamp to the operating means, and a group of markings upon the work support symmetrically arranged with respect to an axis passing through the operating means so that when a vamp is positioned on the work su port in such a manner that the markings visible co-operate with a characteristic of the blank for accurately locating the blank in the work carrier. 1

10. A machine of the class described hav- ,ing, in combination, perforating means, a work support to hold a vamp to be perforated, a work carrier movable over the work support to present the vamp to the perforating means, means to position the vamp longitudinally with respect to the work carrier, and a number of symmetrical figures upon the surface of the work support symmetrically arranged with respect to an axis passing through the perforating means, the

' different figures being of two contrasting colors and the figures of each color being symmetrically arranged with respect to said axis to facilitate the symmetrical positioning of the throat of the vamp upon the work support. l

11. A machine. of the class described hav a ing, in combination, perforating means, a

work support to hold. a vamp-to be perfo rated, a work carrier movable over the work support to present 'the vamp to the perforating means, a straight edge to co-operate with a mark upon the vamp to position the vamp longitudinally with respect to the work carrier, and a number of heavy lines marked upon the work support and forming symmetricalfigures symmetricall arranged with respect to an axis passing't rough the perforating means so that when a vamp. is positioned on the 'work support with its throat symmetricallyarranged with respect to said axis it may be moved by the carrier to work perforating position.

12. A machine of the class described having, in combination, perforating means, a

metry.

work support, to hold a vamp to be perforated, a work carrier movable over the work support to present the vamp to the perforating means, means to position the vamp- ]ongitudinally with respect to the. work carrier, and a group of markings upon the work support, symmetrically arranged with respect to an axis passing through the perforating means so that when a vamp is positioned on the work support in such a manner that the markings visible through its throat are symmetrically arranged, the center line of the vamp will coincide with said axis.

13. A device for positioning Vamps with respect to an operating mechanism, comprising a straight-edge for co-operation with a mark on the vamp anda fiat member having a surface provided with a group of symmetrically arranged figures so located that when the vamp is arranged with its throat symmetrical with respect to the group of figures the vamp will be symmetrlcally arranged with respect to the operating mechanism.

14. A device for facilitating the presentation of a piece of work to operating mechanism so constructed that the portion of the work to be operated upon is not visible to the operator when the blank is in position to be operated upon, comprising a work support, a blank holder movable over the work support from a position in which the blank held therein is in full View of the operator toward the mechanism, and a group of markvings upon the surface of the work support arranged to oo-operate with a characterlstic of the work for accurately locating the work in the holder.

15. A vamp positioning device comprising a supporting surface provided with ,a number of symmetricahmarkings arranged in a bi-laterally symmetrical group, so that when a vamp is positioned ln'such a manner that the arrangement of the markings visible through its throat is bi-laterally symmetrical, the center line of the vamp will be superimposed upon the axis of sym- 16. A machine for perforating Vamps,

having, in combination, operating means comprising a punch and a punch block, a support for vamps, and means for positioning the Vamps with reference to the operating means, comprising a number of polygons marked off on the support and arranged symmetrically about an axis.

17. A device for positioning vamps, comprising a vamp supporting surface marked off into a number of polygons the polygons being arranged in groups having contrasting colors to facilitate positioning the Vamps. s

18. A devicesfor positioning Vamps comprising a surface marked off into a number of polygons, said polygons being of two contrasting colors the polygons of each color forming a group symmetrical with respect to a single axis of symmetry.

19. In a device for positioning Vamps, a surface marked off by a number of heavy lines into a number of squares, said squares being of two contrasting colors, the squares of each color forming a group symmetrical with respect to a single axis of symmetry.

20. A device for positioning blanks comprising a surface provided with twovisually distinguishable groups of symmetrical figures, the two groups being symmetrically arranged with respect to a single axis of Symmetry.

21. A device for positioning blanks comprising a surface provided with two groups of symmetrical figures, the two groups being symmetrically arranged with respect to a single axis, the figures of the first group being of a color contrasting with that of the figures of the second group.

22. A device for positioning blanks comprising a surface marked off into a plurality of rows of squares, the squares of the outer rows being of a color contrasting with that of the squares of the rows adjacent thereto, the arrangement of squares of each color being symmetrical with respect to a median line.

23. A device for positioning blanks comprising a surface marked off by a number of heavy lines into a plurality of rows of squares, the squares of the outer rows being of a color contrasting with that of the squares of the rows adjacent thereto, and the median squares being some of one color and some of the other, the arrangement of squares of each color being symmetrical with respect to a median line.

24. A device for positioning blanks comprising a surface marked off by a number of heavy lines into a number of symmetrical figures symmetrically arranged with respect to an axis of symmetry, the figures forming a plurality of groups, each group being symmetrical with respect to said axis, and the figures of each group being of a color contrasting with that of the figures of the other groups.

25. A device for positioning blanks comprising a surface marked off by a number of heavy lines into a number of symmetrical figures symmetrically arranged with respect to an axis of symmetry, the figures forming two groups, each group being symmetrical with respect to said axis, and the figures of one group being of a color contrasting with that of the figures of the other group.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

HARRIET HITCHINGS WHHTCOMB. 

